1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a pluggable optical transceiver module assembly, and in particular, to a latching mechanism that is configured to enable the pluggable optical transceiver module assembly to be plugged in or unplugged from a cage.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the development of information and communication technologies, high data rate optical communication systems that only use a few communication lines have been developed in order to transmit more information. An optical communication system includes an optical transceiver module for electro-optic conversion and photoelectric conversion. The optical transceiver module includes a light source and an optical detection element. A small form-factor pluggable (SFP) optical transceiver module out of pluggable optical transceiver modules is well known. The SFP optical transceiver module interfaces a host device with an optical fiber cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,918 entitled “Electronic Module Having an Integrated Latching Mechanism” discloses a latching mechanism used for an SFP optical transceiver module. In order to unplug the SFP optical transceiver module from a cage, an optical fiber connector to which optical fiber cable is connected should be first withdrawn from the SFP optical transceiver module. The SFP optical transceiver module should be pulled in a state where a bail of the latching mechanism is lifted. Since the bail covers the optical fiber connector, the optical fiber connector should be first withdrawn in order to lift the bail.
As described above, the conventional latching mechanism has a structure in which an optical transceiver module cannot be unplugged from a cage in a state in which an optical fiber connector is inserted in the optical transceiver module.
However, since the case where the optical fiber connector should be withdrawn from the cage for test and maintenance activities frequently occurs, in this environment, the conventional latching mechanism is very inconvenient to users.